


Chase

by BarPurple



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dark Castle Fluff, F/M, Pets, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 10:47:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10384947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: Priscilla the cat has plans for the humans she shares the Dark Castle with.





	

Priscilla the cat had almost the full run of the Dark Castle, Rumple had put anti-cat warding on his laboratory so she didn’t get into anything dangerous and then applied the same to the hothouse after she’d tried to use the soil there as a litter box, (Rumple had quite the temper tantrum after that incident and had threated the ‘flea-bag’ with snailhood if she did it again).

Most of the time she was a well behaved cat that seemed to understand the rules of the castle. She would haughtily ignore those who came to beg the Dark One for help, had hissed and clawed at Prince Charming when he tried to pet her, and shed all over Jefferson when he was annoying Rumple with his exuberant jesting. 

The one thing Belle couldn’t get her to avoid was the spools of spun gold that filled the basket by Rumple’s wheel. Many mornings she would come downstairs to find glimmering threads tangled around the legs of the dining room table and trailing across the floor. She did her best to tidy them away before Rumple appeared for breakfast, but once or twice he’d leaped over them on the way to his seat or spinning wheel. 

The strange thing was that Rumple never said anything about it, never huffed, or told her to keep the moggy under better control. In fact she was certain she’d seen him smile fondly at the mess as he stroked Priscilla’s ears. There was defiantly something fishy going on here. 

At the end of the day Belle bid Rumple good night and petted Priscilla who was curled in her basket by Rumple’s wheel. The cat purred at her and snuggled down into the plump pillow, looking as if she was settled in for the night. Belle walked out of the room and made for the stairs, but slipped her shoes off and doubled back to the door. Through the crack she saw Rumple spinning and Priscilla asleep just as she had left them, maybe she was wrong about this. 

Priscilla suddenly stretched, arching her back before she jumped lightly down to curl around the basket of finished thread.

“Oh you want to play already?”

Belle was surprised at the indulgent tone in Rumple’s voice, and even more so as she watched him lift a spool and toss it along the floor for Priscilla to chase. The cat caught it and batted it back to him. The Dark One gave a quiet titter and kicked the spool again.

Belle had to smother her own giggles as the two of them played, the thread was getting tangled around the table legs again and would take a while to tidy in the morning, but she didn’t care, she’d never seen Rumple look so relaxed and carefree. She was so caught up in watching their game that she didn’t notice how close to her hiding place Priscilla had come. The cat’s nose twitched as she sniffed the air and them with a triumphant mewl she sent the spool rolling out of the door with a swipe of her paw.

“What are you doing you daft cat, I’m over here.”

Priscilla sat down and mewed at Rumple.

“Oh so I have to go fetch it do I? Well I suppose it is my turn.”

Rumple scampered across the floor on all fours and skidded to a halt at Belle’s feet.

“Ah. Oh. Erm, hello Belle, thought you’d gone to bed?”

He stood up and dusted himself off, trying to look as if he’d not just been playing with a cat. Priscilla gave a snort and began to wind herself and the thread around their ankles, not that either of them noticed as they were both awkwardly heming and haring while trying to find something to say. The cat gave the thread a tug and the staggered into each other, keeping their balance but not touching each other. Priscilla rolled her eyes and mewled at them.

“I think she’d annoyed we were ignoring her.”

Rumple blinked at Belle and a shy smile started on his face, “Would you like to play with us?”

Belle nodded and tried to take a step away from Rumple, she almost fell over the tangled gold, but he grabbed her hand and held her upright. 

“I think we need to get untangled first.”

Rumple dragged his eyes away from her hand, her little hand that had folded around his as if it liked being in his grip.

“Yes untangled,” The gold unwound from their ankles, “And then chase the cat!”

Priscilla took off into the great hall pursued by a giggling Belle and Rumple, who were still holding hands.


End file.
